Plantar melanoma: Results of treatment in three population groups

Skin cancer in skin of color

“…159 Hudson et al had similar results with 50% of blacks, 33% of mixed-race patients, and 4% of Caucasians who presented with stage 3 or 4 tumors. 171 There was also a significant difference in the primary tumor mean Breslow depth at presentation in black (7.1 mm), mixed-race (3.6 mm), and white patients (3.3mm). 171 Swan and Hudson at the University of Capetown found that blacks of mixed ancestry presented with stage 3 or 4 disease in 35% of cases.…”

“…171 There was also a significant difference in the primary tumor mean Breslow depth at presentation in black (7.1 mm), mixed-race (3.6 mm), and white patients (3.3mm). 171 Swan and Hudson at the University of Capetown found that blacks of mixed ancestry presented with stage 3 or 4 disease in 35% of cases. 128 The SEER registry from 1986e91 revealed that the likelihood of diagnosis after metastasis was 4% for Caucasians and 14% for blacks.…”

“…182 Hudson et al reviewed 85 cases of plantar melanoma from 1977e91 at the University of Capetown in South Africa and found that significantly more blacks had metastatic disease and presented with deeper tumors (7.1 mm vs 3.3 mm) than did whites. 171 The 5-year survival figures for plantar melanoma in Hudson's study was 60% for whites and 26% for blacks.…”

“…In non-Caucasians, the plantar portion of the foot is often the most common site, being involved in 30% to 60% of cases (Figs 17 and 18). 3,52,89,128,130,131,139,149,159,161,[170][171][172][173][174] Thirty percent to 70% of melanomas in blacks arise on the sole of the foot. 3,133,139,159,174 The most common location of melanoma in Japanese is the sole of the foot, accounting for 25% to 35% of cases.…”

“…131 Compared with Caucasians, blacks tend to present with more advanced, thicker tumors and thus tend to have a poorer prognosis, with higher mortality. 3,130,133,149,159,170,171,173 Multiple studies have demonstrated that 5-year survival rates of blacks are consistently lower than those of Caucasians (Table I). Fleming et al reported melanoma lymph node metastases in 11 of 13 blacks, with only 2 patients surviving.…”